PARIS: A week after a radical kind of launch, without any advertising and 100% of orders via the Internet, the new electric Ami from Citroën has already netted 170 unit sales in the country.
In its home market, the car can be driven by anyone from the age of 14 and does not require a driver's licence.
Of the 170 orders sold to private individuals, three-quarters of them paid in cash and the remainder with an upfront to be followed by rental over a period of four years. An overwhelming majority of customers (88%) also chose home delivery rather than pick-up from Citroën. First deliveries are expected at the end of July.
The brand's global marketing director, Arnaud Belloni, pointed out that the marketing strategy adopted for the Ami amounted to a breakthrough for the automaker.
"The customer can decide to buy from home whenever he or she wants, even on a Sunday morning at 2am, which is very trendy these days."
According to Belloni, the first sales figures show that the unusual approach adopted by the brand in bringing the Ami to market is the right one. Citroën's goal is to "make electric mobility accessible to as many people as possible. With the Ami, we're offering an electric solution that can be charged anywhere, which will only cost the price of a monthly transport pass."
The diminutive Ami is quite different from other vehicles on the market.
It does not require a driver's licence and can be driven by anyone who is over the age of 14. With a top speed that is limited to 45kph, it has a range of around 75km, and can be charged from a standard domestic power outlet. In France, the Ami is priced at 7,300 euros, without taking into account environmental tax incentives (a rebate of 900 euros in Europe), or it can be rented for 19.99 euros per month (following an initial payment of 3,941 euros).
From June 15, the Ami will also be available for long-term rental throughout France from 39 Fnac/Darty stores. On the same day, some Citroën dealerships will begin showing the Ami and giving future customers a chance to try it out. It is also worth noting that the Ami will soon be made available to Parisians via the Free2Move car-sharing initiative, which is due to start operations in July.
Following deployment in France, the Ami will be available for order in Italy before the end of 2020, and in Spain, Portugal, and Belgium in the course of 2021.
